Snail invasion on rice fields of South Europe Wetlands

Rice growers in the Spanish River delta are threatened by the breach of Snails wrecking the crops and spread in the other southern European wetlands that is Snail invasion on rice fields of South Europe Wetlands. A loss of about half of the crops is already reported since 2009 by the island apple snail (Pomacea insularum).

The authorities have been trying to demolish the snails by drying the fields in winter and then flooding with salt water. Spanish and Catalonian authority has supported these attempts in order to recover €378,000 of money from the struggling farmers as EU pays farmers a allowance to keep fields flooded in winters and preserve wetland habitat for birds and fishes.

The European Food Safety Authority (Efsa) is worried that the snails can also destroy the wetlands if they spread across the southern Europe as they attach to migrating birds and can spread to hundreds of kilometers. If they spread to such long distance it may cause an irreversible decline.

The invasion has spread like a wildfire since 2010 since first detected in a drainage channel in the town and now the authorities are not able to control the situation which will further threaten the livelihood and family of farmers.